


Astra’s Revelation

by roseflushpearlsnblood



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Astra lives with Kara, Catstra friendship, Crack, F/F, Fluff, General Danvers in progress, Kara and Astra fluff, astra did not die, astra redeemed herself, established Supercat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24406996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseflushpearlsnblood/pseuds/roseflushpearlsnblood
Summary: Astra has been harbouring feelings for a certain agent for a long time. When she finds out Alex likes her too, she starts preparing to go over to Alex and tell her how she feels, because Kryptonians are not chickens.I’m horrible at summaries but this is a mild crack fic. Astra navigates the human world, loves bananas and listens to Taylor Swift to get her feelings in order.
Relationships: Alex Danvers & Kara Danvers, Astra & Kara Danvers, Astra/Alex Danvers, Kara Danvers & Carter Grant, Kara Danvers/Cat Grant
Comments: 25
Kudos: 111





	1. Chapter 1

Astra fumbles with the instruments that humankind eat with. One’s called a fork that looks like a mini trident only with four prongs and what humans call a knife is a smaller, less deadly sword.

She’s only gotten the hang of holding them properly only around 3 months ago, courtesy of the DEO insisting that she blend in with humankind properly. What kind of human would bend their silverware at a restaurant? J’onn had asked her, shaking his head while passing her off to Kara who nearly put a hole in the roof when she jumped for joy.

The first couple of human lessons had been hard. To Kara’s astonishment in the twelve years she was on earth, Astra had been living off bananas and protein shakes and never once heard of Disney World.

Kara introduced her to it bit by bit, letting her sit and watch the morning cartoons, showing her how to properly use conditioner because _I’m sorry Aunt Astra but your hair looks like you entered a cyclone_ and never came out. Kara also commissioned custom made utensils for her to hold, just to practice the grip, she insisted while stashing away the silverware that Astra longed to graduate to.

For now, she was doing well. She could even hold a plastic fork without bending the tines accidentally. It was a great achievement, so her niece had handed her a set of proper human utensils this morning and told her she could try eating breakfast with them.

Astra had been too focused and proud about finally holding human cutlery to notice that Kara had connected her phone with the Bluetooth speaker. She didn’t understand the name because the speaker or music player was not blue and it didn’t have a tooth. Kara laughed fondly when she probed her with the question and explained the mechanics, comparing it to a system they used to have on Krypton. Astra still thought it was an awful name for something so advanced.

Her niece clicked on a button and suddenly a jaunty tune played through the apartment. “I don't know about you,” Taylor Swift’s voice rang through the speakers. Kara started singing along, “But I'm feeling twenty-twooooo, Everything will be alright, if You keep me next to youuu”

“Little one....?” Astra speaks up above the music.

Kara kept singing while ladling the pancake batter onto the griddle. “Yes Aunt Astra?”

“What does feeling 22 mean?” Astra asks, she’s heard this song and many others by this Taylor Swift and she admits that earth’s music does sound lovely, although she’s more partial to Broadway showtunes or opera.

Kara pauses her singing to stir the lumps thoughtfully. “There’s no feeling of 22. She’s singing about how happy she is. It’s just a catchy term, I guess.”

Astra nods in acquiescence and turns back to watch the pancakes bubbling on the stove. Vegan batter of course. Once Kara started introducing her to more human food, she also included the different concepts about diets. Kara explained that, here, on a planet with a yellow sun, they could eat all they wanted. On earth, people had the choice to eat products that weren’t produced by animals. Astra happily took her up on that. So since last year, she had been a proud vegan.

“Why do you ask, Aunt Astra?”

“22 means happy?”

Kara hums the dying tune under her breath. “In this context, yes.”

“How do I tell Alexandra she makes me feel 22?”

Kara does a double take that almost seems comical in the way her eyes bulge and she nearly drops the pancake batter. Only her superspeed saves her from cleaning batter off the floor, thank Rao she didn’t, Astra really wanted to lick the bowl.

‘Alex?”

“Yes, the brave one.”

Kara sets down the bowl and cocks her head to one side. The image is adorable and reminds Astra of how Kara used to do that when she didn’t understand a concept in her studies.

“Happy...as in you like her friendship?”

Astra sits straighter on her barstool. “I like her, I think she’s one of the bravest humans I know. I’m in awe of her.”

Kara’s brows creep up. “Can you describe the feeling you get when you see her?” Her niece sits down and and folds her arms in front of her. She’s using awfully simple terms when it comes to this and there’s a part of Astra that doesn’t understand why.

“Alexandra makes me feel.......,” She starts off, rubbing her palms against each other to soothe herself, but her brain seems to have failed her“22.” She finishes lamely.

Astra tried to find words for it but it leaves her mouth dry whenever the thought of Alex rushes into her brain. It’s a welcome sort of dryness, but it’s the kind that leaves her unable to speak more than 2 syllables at once.

Sensing her aunt’s discomfort, Kara reaches to take her hand and rubs small circles on her knuckles. “Take your time.” She murmurs slowly in Kryptonese.

Her military-guild-capable brain seems to have ditched her entirely so Astra settles for the first things that she can think of. Somehow in Kryptonese it is less nerve wracking. She’s comforted by how only the two of them speak the language fluently and how only the two of them are in the dining area.

“Aunt Astra....What you’re saying, it’s.....”

“Love.” A voice comes from the entry of Kara’s bedroom.

“Cat!” Kara says the same time Astra starts spluttering. “No! It’s not!”

‘Such emotional denial only proves to show that it is.” Cat leans lazily in the doorframe, fingering the collar of Kara’s button up that she has on. 

Kara springs up from her seat and her face heats immediately when her eyes rove over her fiancée’s bare legs.

‘And how would you know?” Astra asks, trying to regain her lost composure.

“Please,” Cat flicks a hand dismissively. “Your niece whispers words like that when she thinks I’m asleep.”

Kara’s skin turns a light shade of pink.

“But darling,” Cat turns toward the blonde alien with a lazy drawl. “ I adore it. Don’t you dare stop.”

Kara nods quickly.

“The pancakes are burning.” Cat nods towards the griddle and with a quick curse, the young alien whirls around blow a small wave of freeze breath over the food.

“I’ll admit, it’s fun seeing you all flustered,” Cat scans Astra up and down, she only hopes that her stoic general expression is not lost because if Cat were able to hear her heartbeat right now, she would be...what did humans calls it? Toast.

Even the thought of Alex would allow her heartbeat the strength to power one of earth’s moving vehicles.

“But my dear future aunt in law,” Cat jerks her head at Kara who is now salivating. Astra’s guess is that it’s definitely from Cat’s state of undress.

“That is how you look at Agent Scully whenever she’s in front of you. That pathetic wide eyed wanting...I can already hear your Kryptonian mating songs.”

‘We do not have Kryptonian mating songs.” Astra starts while Kara whines “I don’t look pathetic.”

“Oh darling...” Cat stalks closer to Kara, acting more or less like her namesake. “I like it when you’re pathetic. I’m absorbed in your charming patheticness.”

The two blondes have locked their eyes on each other while Cat glances up at Kara with half lidded eyes. “There’s no such word.” Astra proclaims bluntly.

“Aunt Astra...” Kara’s head bops up and down towards the cooling food and with her free hand, with the one that isn’t currently on Cat’s waist, she points to the balcony.”

“Oh yes..um..” Astra jumps up from her barstool and halfway knocks it over before she rights it.

“I’ll serve myself and have breakfast on the balcony, in the fresh air...most important meal of the day.” Astra’s voice rises into a near shout as she hurries to plate her food, taking special care to not bend the plastic spatula.

‘Don’t forget your lead lined headphones.” Cat says absentmindedly, hands dragging through Kara’s shoulder length locks.

Before her superhearing is blocked by the headphones, Astra hears Cat sass Kara. .

“Did you seriously kick your aunt out just to have sex?”

“Was that pathetic enough for you?” Kara growls playfully and then their bedroom door shuts.

Astra just stabs the fluffy plate of carbs with her human silverware and tries to let the sound of Into the Woods drown out her niece’s paramour’s moans.


	2. Chapter 2

Astra inhales the banana pancakes because she’s trying to distract herself and bananas are Rao’s gift to earth.

When she first offhandedly remarked that her favourite food was bananas, Kara supplied her with lots of them, but insisted Astra had to try them different ways, and not just raw pale yellow goodness wrapped in bright yellow skin. She was dismayed to discover that food could rot though, but Kara quickly comforted her by showing her that mashed bananas still tasted the same and banana bread was actually made from near rotten ones.

She sits in a hunched up way on the terrace, knees tucked close to her body and arms wrapped around them once she’s done with her plate. Being alone allows her the freedom to drop the way she carries herself usually. It was sometimes tiring to stand like she had a stick up her ass, a helpful phrase supplied by Cat accompanied Kara’s gentle admonishing of “She means your posture is too proper Aunt Astra, why don’t you relax a bit.”

Astra briefly wonders how the couple would react if they found her like this, curled on herself like some spineless worm. Yes, worms did not have spines. Astra learned that with the National Geographic Channel when they did an episode on the “soil beneath out feet”.

But still, as safe as this worm position makes her, she feels like someone could roll her over and off the balcony if they wanted. That won’t do. Astra arranges her limbs so that her fistsare planted firmly on the ground as she reclines backwards. She now looks like a general on a rest break. A proper general.

Why would a general desire the embrace of a mere human?

Astra’s nose wrinkles at the thought of it. Fine, she admits she carries a little bit of prejudice about being a superior Kryptonian, still she commends herself for an effort to be friendlywith humans and to accept that some of them may be mindlessly confounding. Why would humans discriminate each other based on sexuality, gender or the colour of their skin? On Krypton, you were judged on what you did and how well you did it. Humans should try that method sometime because Astra thinks whatever they are now using to judge is obviously lacking and superficial.

 _Alright, maybe it’s just that one human who makes you feel like a Cheeto._ Astra’s useless brain tries to reason with her. 

_Alexandra does make her feel crumbly and fragile, not decidedly orange just yet. She should ask Kara what orange feels like. Not very general-like to be crumbly and orange._

When her Into The Woods recording shifts to something not “On The Steps Of The Palace”, Astra feels the need to adjust her Spotify. How did one do it again?

The music halts her though. It’s a blend of wilfulness, maybe impulsive, accompanied by a beat that sounds distinctively like the heartbeat of a human about to wet themselves. Astra’s heard that beat on more than one occasion, sometimes from Kara. Did that mean Kara wanted to wet herself around Cat? She hopes not because Kryptonians are too advanced to loose control of their bladders.

But when she listens to the lyrics, there’s something inside her that stirs. It’s about a female who asks her significant other to remember her when their romance runs out. The humans aren’t about to wet themselves, they’re nervous from feelings. Feelings of love. Her mind whispers. What you feel around Alexandra.

Astra just shuts her eyes tight and focuses on the lyrics.

_Say you’ll remember me, standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset babe. Red lips and rosy cheeks, say you’ll see me again even if it’s just in your wildest dreams._

Her heart softens at the hopeful lyrics. Whereas there was lust before, she can tell this a plea to the female’s lover, something true that rings throughout the song. As the last beats fade,she moves to add the song to her liked playlist. Astra’s adding it because she thinks the lyrics are simple yet plausible, also because she enjoys listening to the beats of fear in the first bars.

She clicks onto the bar at the bottom of her cell screen and Taylor Swift’s name pops up as the artist. No wonder she recognised the voice briefly, Kara must have played it at some point.

“Aunt Astra!”

Speaking of the alien.

Astra turns around, sitting up straighter and turning to the young blonde that stands in the sliding glass door.

“Hello little one.” She manages to get out smoothly, voice thankfully not betraying her inner thoughts.

“I’m sorry for you know....” Kara gestures uselessly at the living space behind them.

“It’s quite alright little one, water under the overpass.”

The young blonde chuckles lightly. “Aunt Astra, I think you mean bridge.”

“Yes, I apologise,” Astra moves so that she can offer Kara a seat beside her. “I cannot shun you for satiating your fiancée.”

“Thank you for that,”

Astra cuts her off. “Cats are prone to heat in Spring. I do not fault you.”

“Aunt Astra!” Kara groans and tosses her head back. “I know you know Cat isn’t an actual cat. You’re messing with me.”

“Revenge, sweet one. A general must maintain her pride.”

“Fine, I’ll let you have that.”

Kara shifts so she’s able to lean against Astra, the older alien stretches an arm out to accommodate her. She knows Kara is capable of keeping warm but she’s also one of the only people Astra would willingly be in close contact with. _The other one being Alexandra._

“So what are you thinking about?” Kara asks after a moment of quietness.

“Am I allowed to tell you it’s Alexandra?”

“You just did.” Kara moves so her legs are covering hers.

Then comes another moment of silence. One that Astra welcomes because she needs to arrange her words so she doesn’t sound like a broken record. Ha! She used that one right.

“Are you going to tell her?”

Kara asks again, this time fingers knitting together in a repetitive motion like she’s playing cat’s bed.

“I’m thinking about it.” Astra sighs and drops her head onto Kara’s. “The greatest lyricist of all time is not speaking to me right now.”

“Who is the greatest lyricist of all time?”

“Stephen Sondheim. I cannot tell Alexandra how I feel with words from Ladies who Lunch, although the brave one would appreciate a drink.”

It’s Kara’s turn to sigh. “I’ve been trying to get her to stop drinking so much. She only does it when she’s stressed. She’s been doing it a fair bit lately but nothing like her college years.”

“Can a human even handle that much poison?” Astra knows how much Alexandra can drink. As a general she’s impressed, but as a kryptonian who might be interested in the agent, she’s slightly worried because that much alcohol should be enough to wipe a house full of rodents.

“Are Kryptonians that dense?” Cat speaks from behind them, as they swivel to look at her Astra notes that she is mercifully covered up in a tailored pantsuit and is poking an ornament through her ear.

“Let me.” Kara jumps up and with a quick precision, she fastens the bauble to the woman’s ear, placing a soft kiss near it when she finishes.

“Thank you darling.” Cat reciprocates with an blinding smile.

“Uh uh uh,” She wags a finger firmly at Kara when she catches the blonde looking her over.

“We had a lovely tête-à-tête this morning but I have to pick up Carter and take him to school, I came to say my goodbyes.”

“So soon...” Kara pouts, but nods understandingly. “Give him my love and tell him Supergirl will bring his lunch later.”

“Of course.” Cat tilts her head up to kiss Kara on the lips firmly.

“Oh, before I forget...where was I?” Cat pulls away and turns to Astra.

“Agent Scully is drinking so much because she’s been making mating eyes at you too. I see her watching your ass. Don’t give me that look, dear aunt, yes your ass, it looks fabulous in your suit,”

Kara’s lips turn downward. “Have you been checking out my aunt?”

“Of course not darling,” Cat kisses her jaw, still locked in Kara’s arms.

“I’ve heard it from Scully herself.” With that, Cat gives Kara one last peck on the cheek and sashays out of the apartment. Leaving two Kryptonians open mouthed behind her.

There’s yet again another period of silence. Only this time it’s tense with the abrupt fact Cat just presented them with.

It’s Astra who breaks it first.

“Tell me, is Cat truly like her namesake?”

“What do you mean?”

“Sly? Deceitful?”

“What no!” Kara’s furrows her forehead. “Okay, maybe sometimes....but..,” She starts again, seeing Astra’s apprehensive look. “Never towards the ones she cares about.”

“Is she to be believed?”

Kara nods slowly. “If I know my sister, her work life is fine and two fingers of scotch usually means a love life, I just... I haven’t really had a time to talk to her about it.”

Kara gasps. “Oh Rao,” She buries her face in her hands. “I’m a terrible sister.”

“You’re not.” Astra rubs a hand over her niece’s back.

“Your fiancée just informed us that Alexandra has troubles with the matters of the heart,” She swallows harshly. “And apparently, it includes me.”

‘What are you saying, Aunt Astra?”

“We can solve this little one. We can turn her glass upside down. If you trust the Cat, I trust her too. I will tell Alexandra how I feel.”

“Will you really?” Just like that, Kara’s face brightens.

“It’s similar to a war, nothing I cannot do. I just need to prepare. I will need your help little one.” Astra’s hand cup her niece’s cheeks.

“Of course, what do you need Aunt Astra?”

“I will need to procure all of Taylor Swift’s songs. I will need a bottle of conditioner and what you humans call a blowout.”

“Yes of course, but why Taylor Swift?”

“I need help from this miracle woman. She can put my feelings into words. Inspiration if you will.”

“Oh okay,” Kara nods quickly, flinging her arms around Astra. “I’m glad for you.”

“Thank you, little one. I just have a question though...” Astra trails off uncertainly.

“Yes Aunt Astra?”

“Does my posterior look that good?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: minor reference toward time spent in Fort Rozz  
> TW: mild nudity

Tomorrow night. That’s when she’s telling Alexandra. That’s also how long Kara thinks to be an appropriate amount of time to prepare.

They have a plan, she’s going to show up at Alex’s apartment, carrying a gift and she’s going to profess her attraction. It seems simple enough, but the entire thing is daunting. After they formulate this, Kara hugs her again before leaving for Cat’s place. She’s spending the night there and tells Astra that she’s welcome to the vegan potstickers and she hopes the space will give her sometime to think.

Astra arranges her expression into one she thinks is calm enough and hugs back. She does have some thinking to do and some potstickers to devour.

That night she pulls out all of Kara’s Taylor Swift vinyls and loads them one by one, in order,into the gramophone. There’s something about the sound of a vinyl that makes a voice seem more natural. Hence the collection of Astra’s Sondheim vinyls that now occupy the space besides Kara’s ones.

It takes her a whole night to get through the first two because Astra is stunned by how words can have two meanings even in the same setting. Picking up a pen that Kara left for her, Astra flips open a sketchbook and starts making notes. This, is much better learning material than the Barbie cartoons Kara’s obsessed with. She falls asleep on the couch, to the gentle crooning of Breathe.

Her niece has deemed this a two women job and the next day, she wakes up to the disdainful face of Cat scrutinising her and telling Kara that this is not how one should look when about to confess their love.

“Really darling, you think I’ll let you let our dear aunt walk out looking like,” Cat’s eyes squint together when she looks over the rumpled black loungewear she has on and the bags under her eyes. “Are those sweatpants?” Cat winces as she pinches a bit of the material together between her fingers.

“No, this won’t do.” The blonde takes a step back from the couch and shudders like she just touched a part of a sewer. “Kiera, she looks like a homeless. Your sister’s doorman will not-”

Astra puts a hand up.

“You’re right Cat. This is the first and only time I will ever say this,” Her stoic look falters, the thought of Alexandra entering her mind again and Astra’s jaw hardens with determination.

“I want to look good for Alexandra.”

Cat takes a deep breath and flips a tablet out of her bag. “Fine, I confess there’s a part of me that loves doing charity. And you Kryptonians know just the way to butter me up. Now, let me take care of this.”

She pivots to sit at opposite sofa, crossing her legs. Astra and Kara’s ears, even without enhanced hearing could pick up the audible murmuring as Cat scrolled down the screen.

“First I had to deal with your niece’s cheap pants and now you...you need more than just clothes, maybe some hair, maybe some makeup while we’re at it...such a travesty,”

Cat clicks her tongue and looks up to study Astra again.

“Stand up and start practicing how to walk. No military marching or wide leg striding, you are not riding an invisible horse.”

Like that, Cat is enlisted into the plan as well. Our Deputy, Kara calls her and rubs the smaller woman’s shoulder fondly as she mutters about finding a a suitable hairdresser and making an appointment at a luxury boutique.

Astra thought Cat was supposed to go to work, just like Kara was supposed to, but with a quick phone call after numerous other lengthy ones. Within three seconds, Cat places her phone face down and declares that her and Kara are officially free of their duties as CEO and editor for the day.

Kara presses a kiss to her fiancee’s temple and turns to Astra.

“We’re yours for the day. We’re going to make sure you’re at your best tonight, Aunt Astra.”

“Yes, Aunt Astra,” Cat parrots and stands up, passing her handbag to Kara.

“Now come, the limo is waiting downstairs and god knows we need all the time we get...”

In less than an hour, Astra finds herself thoroughly strapped down into some sort of large recliner seat. It holds her in place and she knows she could easily rip it apart with less than one hand but she’s rather amazed at the unwieldiness humans subject themselves to.

She tries to crane her head to look at where Cat and Kara are but fails when the assistant adjusts her neck so she’s staring at the ceiling. Astra doesn’t like being “confined” like this, but if this makes her hair look as soft and shiny as Cat’s, she supposes being tied down for a while wouldn’t hurt. Not that she couldn’t break out of the restraints easily.

“A slight trim, nothing more than two inches, extra strength moisturising conditioner.”

She hears Cat instruct the hairdresser.

At that, Astra sits back in her salon chair as the assistant shampoos her locks with some sort of spicy scent. It’s quite enjoyable and she closes her eyes at the slight nudging against her scalp. It also helps that Taylor Swift’s voice is floating through waterproof earbuds. The singer is doing wonders for her brain. The lyrics. Astra can’t describe them but if she’s brave enough to open her mouth in front of Alexandra later, she can quote some songs. Maybe the human would take it as a form of romantic proposal and that would be done.

_No_. She chastises herself. _How dare you try and cheat Alexandra that way._ The brave one is a human who deserves the sweetest, most heartfelt words. Words that come from Astra herself and not the miracle woman that is currently singing about crying on one of musical instruments. The melody is so beautiful and sad that Astra’s eyes are tempted to water.

Water flows down her head, washing away the slickness that gathers at the end of her hair. The assistant finishes her off quickly, hand shielding her eyes from the spray and then she is whisked into the barber’s chair.

“The streak is charming.” The hair dresser quips, fanning out her sodden locks to lay flat on her shoulders while he tugs the white hairs slightly.

“Would you like to keep it?”

“Yes, thank you.” Astra says and closes her eyes, trusting the man to do as Cat told him. Kara told her that people were trained in this workplace and hair was taken as a serious thing on the planet. Hairdressers that Cat trusts will have definitely completed their training in follicle manipulation.

She feels him running through her locks with a comb, brushing and snipping, the edge of his scissors running quickly as he deftly pulls back skein after skein of hair.

Astra keeps her eyes shut, focusing on Taylor Swift singing about the colour red.

“It looks good. Have it styled into loose curls. Something Hollywood-esque and section it so one side drapes over the other.” Astra hears Cat commune with the hairdresser.

He places the scissors down, Astra can briefly hear the sound when the scissors set back onto their metal resting plate.

He starts twining her hair into a heated rod. Crimping the tight frizz into something more structured. Astra still doesn’t open her eyes to look even though the heat is mildly intimidating, something like the heat emission chambers they were locked in at Fort Rozz. _It’s nothing to be scared of._ She chants in her head. _You’re safe, you’re with Kara, nothing bad will happen._

Astra cannot fathom why the memories of Fort Rozz still haunt her. She’s a general, someone who should be brave when others aren’t, but sometimes the dreams keep her up at night. They get so bad, she rushes into Kara’s bedroom and feigns that there is some earth animal she’s not fond of. Kara never questions the impossibility of a “bat” flapping its “infernal wings” around her room, that, she is grateful for because if her niece suspects something else, Astra doesn’t know what she’ll do.

Even if Cat is staying with them, Kara always gets up if Astra knocks on their bedroom door. She makes her way to the living room and sits with her for a while, putting on some light music while making them a cup of chamomile.

Astra hates herself for remembering Fort Rozz, but there’s something frightening about staring into the bleakness of the Phantom Zone while the prison whirls endlessly in space. More often, she has a view of nothing but grey blurs while her hands are locked into chainswith alternating jets of icy cold and heat spraying onto her body.

_Stop it._ She tells herself. _Focus on the magic singer lady._ Taylor Swift is now shouting an upbeat ditty about shaking it off. Yes, Astra should shake it off. Shake it off, shake it off.

Before she knows it, she is awakened from the reverie by the enthusiastic voice of her hairdresser.

“And, voila.” He proclaims, spraying a mist onto her hair and stepping away so he can look at his handiwork.

“Wow, Aunt Astra. You look wonderful.” Kara exclaims.

“Yes,” Without opening her eyes yet, Astra can see Cat cocking one hip out and evaluating her with her “detail eye”.

“That’ll do, the hair is much more tolerable. My compliments, Lucas.”

“Aunt Astra, open your eyes,” Kara coaches softly, and pulls away her earbuds.

So Astra does. What greets her is herself, but with a much more formal hairstyle than she would ever wear. Gone is the unruly mass that only tames with more than a dollar size of conditioner. What is now there, is something that looks brushed and glossy. Her hair is still the same shade of brown, the white streak standing starkly amongst it, but it’s swept into curls that reach just above her breasts, framing her face softly.

“What do you think?” Lucas addresses her, eyeing her kindly in the mirror.

“It’s very presentable. Thank you.” Astra manages, fingering the now split end free ends between her thumb and forefinger.

Cat walks off with him to discuss the prices of the grooming, Kara leans down to whisper in her ear.

“You look like what you used to on Krypton,” The young alien begins in a low voice. “Less tired. It’s a good look on you, Aunt Astra.”

“I look like Alura, don’t I?” Astra says resignedly, she can’t take her eyes off her reflection because even she can see the clear resemblance between her and her sister. The hair seems to distract from her worn face, making her look younger than she actually is. So that’s what Taylor Swift means by 22.

“Just a bit.” Kara puts their faces together and glance at her from the mirror.

“You look like you’re ready for anything. Fearless.” Kara jokes, swiping Astra’s hand away when she tries to tug her hair to cover the sides of her face. “Don’t hide it, it’s lovely the way it is.”

“You,” Kara’s lips brush across Astra’s cheek. “are lovely the way you are. With or without this fancy hair.” Kara fluffs the ends of her new hairstyle and tucks Astra’s streak in a secure spot.

“That rugged, messy,” The word messy earns a self depreciating smile from Astra. ”kryptonian general is the one Alex started admiring. She’s going to be head over heels for the cleaned up version.”

“I hope so, little one.”

“What are the two of you doing?” Cat comes towards them, slipping sunglasses onto her face. “We need to find clothes for her. Chop chop.”

In the long car. The limo, Cat corrects her. Astra is shown a book made of sleek shiny paper and its pages are filled with pictures of people dressed in what Cat calls “high fashion”.

“Proper fashion.” She says again, casting an eye scornfully over Astra’s worn sleepwear. It’s a set of a loose shirt and flared pants with an elastic waist. Astra thinks they are comfortable and she does like the way the pants are moulded close to her thighs but allow her enough movement to turn and maybe even kick an intruder in the face without ruining them.

Stretch cotton is a superior fabric to Kryptonian fighting leathers. Astra will admit that.

Cat skims a hand over Astra’s clothing. 

“Elastic waistbands are your first stop to the senior community.”

At that, Cat reaches to bounce the elastic against her skin, Astra doesn’t give her the wanted response (of a yelp or maybe retaliation) and instead strips off the pants in a fluid motion.

“No no! Aunt Astra! Please put them back on!” Kara gasps at her, trying to shield both hers and Cat’s eyes while Cat sucks in a shocked breath.

“Why dear niece, Cat doesn’t like my clothes?”Astra waves a hand in a blasé manner. “She doesn’t like them, so I’m taking them off.”

“Aunt Astra, you’re.....” Kara stammers.

‘Yes?” She raises an eyebrow and leans back in her seat, legs spread wide.

“You’re..bare..” Kara squeaks and looks downward.

“Oh? What about it?” Astra looks at the sight of her pale legs, paler than the rest of her body from being covered in long robes and battle suits all her life.

“Your aunt doesn’t shave...” Cat whimpers into Kara’s bicep, the one that reached over to shield her from Astra’s bare lower body.

Kara steadies the both of them, pulling the smaller blonde into her side. Her arm covers Cat’s eyes, while her gaze is steadfastly downward. If she stares any harder into the jean material of her skirt, Astra thinks the cloth would burst into fire right before her eyes.

“Aunt Astra.” Kara begins, keeps her eyes on her lap and nudges Astra’s legs closed with a free hand.

“I saw inside of her......” Cat moans into Kara’s arm.

“Aunt Astra, humans are umm rather shy... about nudity...”

“Well, dear niece, on Krypton-”

“Oh spare us the _On Krypton_ anecdote!” Cat slaps Kara’s bicep down and reaches down to pick up the discarded clothing.

She’s looking in the direction of the tinted windows.

“Please, for the love of god, put these back on.” Cat thrusts the balled up pants at Astra.”

“Only if you say that these are acceptable.”

“These are acceptable!!!” Cat says forcefully and stares straight into the blacked out window, waving the clothes at Astra.

Astra merely shrugs at Kara and takes the pants, pulling them on and tying the drawstring above her toned abdomen.

Kara presses a hand to her chest to calm herself. “You can look now, Cat.”

Cat turns away from the window, albeit reluctantly and stares straight ahead, not risking a glance at either Kryptonian.

“I only needed to see one alien’s genitalia. I did not need to see that alien’s aunt’s.”Cat mutters to herself.

She doesn’t make another comment about Astra’s clothes for the rest of the ride.


	4. Chapter 4

Astra stands outside Alexandra’s hall that night.

She spent the entire afternoon getting ready, first hair, then makeup, then finding a suitable set of clothes. According to Cat, there were so many more options than a tight fitting battle suit.

Astra responded with a careless flip of her hair and a speech about how prey should be made to fear the hunter. A hunter should aim to dress to remind their prey that they are the superior. So flimsy dresses or whatever pastels Kara attempts to pass her will not do.

Kara pouted and returned the light coloured dresses she took from the rack. Then she reminds Astra that Alex is her romantic interest and yes, she should definitely dress to impress, but not to intimidate.

“We wouldn’t want Agent Scully to run off with her tail between her legs.” Cat wrinkles her nose in agreement and pushes away the leather bodycon that Astra’s eye is drawn to. “You are not the filling of a sausage, don’t dress like one.”

The two of them cajole her into a more colourful dress than she would have chosen. Something that makes Cat nod like she’s a car ornament and Kara’s smile grow even brighter.

Astra admires herself in the hall mirror, never dropping the bouquet she carries in her hand. The famous In-Ze vainness is mostly dribbled into Alura’s set of chromosomes, yet, Astra can’t help but preen a little at her reflection. The colour of her dress compliments her skin well. Alura would have chosen a brighter shade of blue, say electric, to wear, but this particular shade trespasses the line between black and navy. It’s subtle enough for the attentive eye to note that it’s a shade of dark blue. The neckline is scooped and her sleeves end just below her elbow.

Astra’s lips lift into a genuine smile when she sees herself in it for the first time. The makeup isn’t done yet and there’s no highlight dusted on her cheeks or any sparkle on her eyelids. Her little pleased look floats to the top of her skin and makes her look like her body is aglow with Rao’s light. It could be the red light that sparks from a display behind her but Astra is satisfied with it all the same.

Cat calls the cut sophisticated and seeing Astra’s “kid in a candy store” look, tells Astra that if she promises not to go commando again, they can go shopping for more.

The dark mesh panels in horizontal stripes takes away from the formality of the dress and transforms it into what Kara calls “date night” appropriate. The length of it reaches her knees and there are small slits up the side so she can walk freely.

Her feet are encased in a pair of nude shoes with red bottoms. She had to borrow some from Kara since Cat’s feet were smaller.

“Follies,” Kara says as she helps her slip them on. “Their official name is Christian Louboutin Follies Strass, and I thought you would like them cause you like the musical.” The little crystals scattered on the surface of the shoe wink up at Astra in their sparkling manner and Cat nods approvingly.

“Finally, someone who will wear the shoes I buy my fiancée.” Cat says jokingly but shoots an accusing look in Kara’s direction.

Kara puts her hands up. “I don’t want to ruin them from saving the city. I promise to wear them on our next fancy date night?”

“If Metropolis can handle itself for one night, you will be in my bed, I don’t care about you wearing the stupid shoes,” Cat rasps and she herself bends down to help Kara with Astra’s shoes.

“No marching or doing the splits and be careful doing what you and Scully do if the two of you aren’t comparing military drills or tai chi technique.”

“Cat, she’s there to tell Alex she likes her and ask her out. They aren’t going to fall into a debate about military tactics.”

“You aren’t, aren’t you? You’re not going to be a chicken right?” Kara asks worriedly and accepts Astra’s offer to pull both her and Cat to their feet.

“I’m not a chicken, little one.”

“She doesn’t mean the bird, dear aunt. She means, are you going to tell Alex you like her?”

“If that’s what chicken means,” Astra nods gravely, “I will never be a chicken. I’m going to tell Alexandra how I feel. I’ve prolonged this too much.”

“Good call Aunt, you two have been dancing circles around each other, what I did around Kara can be considered fairy rings when compared to you two.”

Cat pushes the bouquet of red flowers into her hands. “Go get your agent.”

That’s when Astra moves to adjust the flowers in their white silk ribbon. One of them had fallen loose during her short flight to Alexandra’s apartment building. The doorman had waved her in and she spent the entire time staring down at the puckered buds.

Gladiolus are what the flowers are called. Not roses. Astra read a book about the meaning of flowers and gladiolus meant bravery and also admiration, romantic admiration. The perfect fit for her brave one.

* * *

“Good god, Astra.” Is what comes out of Alexandra’s mouth when she opens the door to her apartment.

The agent’s complexion, usually a creamy shade quickly takes on a swipe of pink above her cheekbones. Her eyes try to focus themselves on Astra’s face and instead of the amount of skin that is usually hidden by her combat gear.

“You look wow....,”Alex tries to collect herself, to pick her jaw up from where it dropped.

“What’s the occasion?” The words come out quickly, if not for her enhanced hearing, Astra would have never caught them.

_Now steady on General, that’s a good sign, don’t get too ahead of yourself._

Astra reaffirms before giving Alex a disarming smirk that has the agent’s eyes bulging a little.

“Hello to you too, Alexandra.” She says, her mind drifting to the old Hollywood movies she watched.

“Oh this old thing?” She says, batting the false eyelashes that Cat painstaking sat on her to glue down. “I only bought it so you could take it off.” Astra steps over the threshold and shut the door behind her.

Alex’s jaw drops again.

“Wha...me...what?”

“Alexandra,” Astra drawls out her name like it’s a particularly delicious banana pancake.

“I’ve brought you flowers.” She thrusts them out towards the agent, who takes them with a stunned look and shaking hands.

“Umm, thank you.” Alex’s face takes on a redness that is only comparable to her after a good session in the training room.

She touches the white silk wrapping gingerly and her eyebrows rise as she notices the flowers.

“Gladiolus...” Alex whispers, staring up at Astra with wide eyes.

Astra coughs, her bravado gone for a moment.”Yes, they mean bravery and-“

“Infatuation...” Alex’s less flustered now, but her entire persona has taken on a serious sheen.

She drops the bouquet and fixes Astra with hard eyes.

“Is this a joke Astra?”

“What?”

_Why on this planet would Alexandra’s think this was a joke?!!!!_

Astra stops leaning against the door and pulls herself to her full height, preparing to quote Taylor Swift because she needs the blessings of this miracle love guru right now.

‘If this is a dare from one of the DEO agents, I don’t appreciate it.” The bouquet dangles itself from Alex’s limb hand.

“Please don’t be in love with someone else, please don’t have someone waiting on you.” Astra’s hands fly to her mouth as she and Alex both stare at each other in shock.

Alex straightens and mirrors Astra’s posture.

“Astra, I don’t have time for games. If this is a dare, you should see yourself out.”

“Sometimes I wonder when you sleep. Are you ever dreaming of me. Sometimes when I look into your eyes. I pretend you're mine, all the damn time. Cause I like you.”

Astra actually pulls an entire block of lyrics form Taylor Swift, and as she watches Alex’s expression morph into one of questioning rather than anger. She doesn’t know whether to feel relieved or scared when Alex opens her mouth.

“Astra..why are you quoting Taylor Swift?”

“I..um...I...It’s not a joke, I truly feel that way.” Astra thrusts her shoulder blades back and looks down on Alex with the best general-serious face she has.

“Why don’t we talk when we’re both comfortable...” Alex trails off and points at the armchairs in her living space.

Astra nods gratefully and tries not to trip over her feet as she practically scurries to sit herself down and centre herself closer to gravity, those heels are tiring her usually booted feet.

Alex hands her an already poured glass of scotch and moves to pour another one for herself. “No, thank you.” Astra pushes away the amber liquor even though she knows there is no way human substances can affect her.

Alex shrugs. “Suit yourself.” She pours a neat two fingers and is ready to throw it back when Astra’s hand shoots out to stop her.

“Halt please. This is a conversation we need to have sober.”

Alex chuckles, “Fine, I’ll humour you and pretend this isn’t my second glass.”

“Alexandra....” Astra begins, shifting in her seat. Her hands wander distractedly, pulling at the hem of her dress.

“I hold a great admiration for you. I have ever since....I met you in that warehouse. You defeated the hellgrammite and my first thought was how brave this human was. Then when Myriad was destroyed and I joined the DEO, you were welcoming and you acted like you cared. You were the only person who showed me kindness other than my niece.”

Astra’s speaking candidly now. All those words her own. Heartfelt, somewhat broken thoughts, but ones that are tailored just for the human sitting across from her.

“My heart..how do you say it?...,” Astra muses, a hand tapping on to an unknown melody. “Is shit.” She finishes bluntly, hand stopping to fold over her knee.

Alex’s eyebrows raise in confusion. “Astra, do you know what that word means?”

“Yes. Bad. Horrible. Worst. Is it not?”

“You’re not wrong. But aren’t there other words for it?”

“Shit is best, yes?”

“Yes...?”

“As I was saying, my heart is shit.” The Kryptonian places her hands above where her heart is located. “It’s not whole, it is, how does Taylor Swift say? Trouble.”

Rao. She quoted Taylor Swift again. She has to stop this. Alexandradeserves an honest confession.

“But,” Astra fixates her with a less guarded gaze than usual, her walls have fallen down, and in that moment, she seems more human than ever. The tremble of her lower lip almost frightens Alex because she’s not used to the alien looking more kicked puppy than Doberman. 

“This shit heart wants you. And this shit heart wants to guard yours as long as you want it.”

It’s Astra’s way of professing her love. Alex is strangely struck by how she’s taken to the English language, the accented T’s pronounced as she juts her jaw and swallows harshly. Her entire body hovers above the couch she’s sitting on, ready to bolt at super speed just in case.

Astra finishes and bows her head. She can’t say anymore than that. Maybe she is actually a chicken. Cat probably didn’t hear correctly,maybe it was a whole misunderstanding and Alexandra did not hold the same amount of affection for her.

“Shitty.” Alex’s voice comes, weaker than usual but still holding it’s usual confidence.

“What?”

“That’s the correct way to say it.”

“Alexandra..”

“And, my heart doesn’t need guarding. What this heart needs, is loving. Can you do that?”

Alex reaches for her glass and sips at it. Only a little, just to calm her nerves.

Astra feels like the stars are falling because Alexandra has just spoken the magic words she has longed to hear for a long time.

“Loving?”

“Yes, loving. Astra, I have loved you from afar for quite some time now and if you can’t love me, then this admiration is going to go nowhere.”

“Loving,” The Kryptonian repeats. “It’s very brave of you to ask that of me, and I believe it is something I can do. It is something that a part of me already is doing.”

Alex glances up at her from the curtain of hair she previously ducked into.

“Look.”

The Kryptonian stands up and spins in a slow circle.

“Do you see this Alexandra?” She asks as Alex’s mouth dries from the way the fabric hugs the alien’s body tighter than any battle uniform.

“I put this on to look presentable for you. Kara mentioned I may have looked a little worse for wear around you and Cat has told me more than once I looked like a street urchin out of Oliver. I may have looked too dirty for you to notice me-“

Alex raises a hand to stop her ramble.

“Astra, you’ve always been beautiful, a little messy yes, but I’ve always been the most attracted to you when you best me in our combat sessions.”

Alex’s face reddens at the memory of being under Astra’s lithe body.

The Kryptonian’s mouth widens in a faint approximation of a smile.

“Truly?”

“Yes, especially when you pin me under you.”

* * *

“Darling, can you hear them?” Cat tugs on Kara’s arm. They’re in Cat’s king size bed, huddled together in the centre with Kara’s arms wrapped her waist.

“Shush..I’m trying to concentrate.” Kara sits up in bed and tries to locate Alex’s heartbeat across the city. She catches a hint of it, the beat strong, humming steadily.

Then she inclines her head and directs her attention to the area around Alex, she hears her aunt’s as well.

“Bingo..” Kara whispered under her breath and concentrated more.

“So Alexandra, you prefer it when I’m sweaty and on top of you?”

“Astra, stop teasing. Come here, you dirty alien.” Kara hears Alex say with a throaty voice.

“I’m not dirty today.” Astra protests and there’s the slamming of a glass on a coffee table before something heavy, something that sounds vaguely like two bodies, falls on the couch.

“Well Kiera? What’s going on?”

Kara turns to her with a haunted look. “Cat, hold me close tonight. I need to be the little spoon.”

Cat clucks at her sympathetically

“Did you hear them....?”

“Just the beginning. They’re just fine.Time to sleep Cat.”

Kara sends a quick mental thank you to Taylor Swift, because without her and her songs, Astra would have never told found a way to tell Kara how she felt about Alex. 

The young alien snuggles into Cat’s arms and falls asleep with a smile on her face. The next morning, she knows she’s going to receive a call from Alex telling her the happy news.

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own these characters. All rights go the rightful creators. I do not own Taylor Swift’s work and the mentioned lyrics in the piece all have credits to Taylor Swift.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fic because I did have a fun time writing it! Thank you for reading!  
> \- Much love, Rose 
> 
> I also apologise for the many mistakes....oop..


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